Phals repotted from moss (dense nasty big box store moss) ......

[james mickelso]

......back into moss. "SAY IT AIN"T SO!!!!". Yes Henrietta, you can repot phals back into moss, not loose their flowers, and let them go bone dry (5 days between waterings) without loosing anything. My conditions: 55 at night/90 day time temps. 30-60% humidity. Small clay pots with sphagnum moss. The same moss I pulled off these when I repotted them. The caveat? It is very loosely packed around the roots. Lots of air movement through the media. I think these were repotted about 2 months ago. I showed a couple repots here. Anyway, I have some in LECA or moss or lava cinder or bark. The point I am making here is that you don't have to keep phals wet or even damp....all the time. These have each put out new leaves and roots. Two even have the stump of a new flower spike showing. Remember that orchids are slow growing. And that over watering stunts them. Also the last pics are a phal I got two years ago with leaves so limp I felt sure they would soon fall off. They didn't but never regained any turgidity at all. The phal has since put out three keikis and the central growth is still putting out a new leaf. Anyway here are some pics to look at.

[bethmarie]

I've got a lueddemanniana in the same shape you describe in the last 2 pics. Two of its leaves are limp as spinach, one in somewhat better shape. It has a couple of short aerials --the older roots are in rough shape. I also repotted in loose moss. I'm optimistic that it will come around in time.

[lotis146]

Too true. I've got quite a few Phals in moss and they are alright, I've even gone a couple of weeks without watering. Then I've got others in moss/bark mixes and they're happy.

And limp leaves? That's what brought me here. I've heard that once they go limp and wrinkly they'll never recover but the Phal that made me come here for help due to super limp wrinkly leaves has recovered A LOT (not perfect, but I'm proud). Its leaves are more rigid, less wrinkly and it has quite a few new leaves.

Another plant I came here for help for is a mini Phal I've kept in bark/moss (mostly moss) and it has grown a few new roots and recently grew another leaf.

So many people hate moss but I think James you make a good case.

[MrsH530]

As a beginner with a tendency to over water, moss was my enemy (or maybe I was the moss' enemy??).

Now that I have a better understanding of my orchids and my care of them, I prefer my smaller orchids in moss and my larger orchids in a moss/bark mix (heavy on bark). I don't think moss is bad, and I'm glad you made this post! I think continually educating people about the many, many options they have for growing orchids is key!

Love the last 2 pictures. I would really love it if one of my plants put out keikis like that. I think it looks really neat!

Thanks again for the encouragement!

[NYCorchidman]

With limpy leaves, depending how sever it is, they do recover to a varying degree after you give them enough water, usually soaking for a long time works wonders!

Regarding moss, it is great but people need to be very careful with watering.

I have bought many phals in moss, and being a lazy repotter, I let them grow in whatever they come in for as long as possible until I absolutely have to repot them.

I have gone over two years in the same tight moss with no issues.
The key is the correct watering.

[james mickelso]

I agree NY. Learning to water correctly in relation to what the media is makes such a difference. That's why I post these tutorials.